The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Mistral has released Mistral Large 4, a flagship AI model that reads text and images, and anyone can now download it or try it online.
Read more: Mistral releases Mistral Large 4, a free AI model anyone can downloadGoogle posted new update notes for Chromecast with Google TV and Nest Wifi Pro, with better streaming and connection performance listed for the Chromecast.
Read more: Google rolls out software updates for Chromecast and Nest Wifi ProOpenAI ended the Pro 200 legacy allowance today, so from October 30 the same $200 a month buys half the Codex and ChatGPT Work usage.
Read more: OpenAI's $200 ChatGPT Pro plan now gives half the coding usageMeta will alert supervising parents when a teen repeatedly searches for self-harm on Facebook or chats worryingly with Meta AI. Here is what parents should know.
Read more: Meta will tell parents if a teen repeatedly searches for self-harmA post claiming an iPhone kept 146,000 deleted photos hit 4.1 million views, but its numbers shift between versions and its main claim about apps fails.
Read more: Viral claim that iPhones keep 146,000 deleted photos does not hold upSamsung's Galaxy W27 is a gold-trimmed foldable for China that costs about $2,800 and offers little over the Fold 8 Ultra that US buyers can get for less.
Read more: Samsung's new $2,800 foldable phone is only sold in ChinaA free 3D-printable cover turns the Unihertz Titan 2 Elite's keyboard into Game Boy-style controls, giving a phone that sat unused a second life as a handheld.
Read more: A 3D-printed cover turns a keyboard phone into a Game BoyApple's new $2,900 MacBook Pro is the first laptop to support a color method meant to make the same image look alike on different screens and to different eyes.
Read more: Apple's new MacBook Pro aims to make colors look the same to everyoneAustralia's cyber agency says AI is making scams faster and harder to spot, and costs per business are rising. Here is what it means for your passwords and updates.
Read more: Australians report a cybercrime every six minutes as AI speeds up scamsGoogle Maps has built-in tools that show a place's entrance, surroundings and common complaints, so a few minutes on a phone can save a wasted trip.
Read more: Check a place in Google Maps before you make the driveA leftover update checker from an unofficial Popcorn Time app may still run on your Mac, and researchers say it could have let attackers install harmful software.
Read more: Old Popcorn Time app may have left up to 350,000 Macs open to attackSamsung says year-end deals are coming and the Galaxy S27 models will each feel more distinct, which could matter if you are thinking about buying a Samsung phone.
Read more: Samsung hints at a bigger Galaxy S27 lineup and new foldable phonesMozilla and Google both released browser updates fixing 167 and 52 security flaws, and some could let attackers run harmful code on your computer.
Read more: Firefox and Chrome both need updating now to fix over 200 security holesGoogle's Gemini Notebook now offers hundreds of free textbooks that students can turn into study guides, quizzes and flashcards, with answers that point back to the page.
Read more: Google now lets students add free textbooks to its Gemini study toolSecurity firm Socket found 319 Chrome add-ons that quietly swapped users' search engine and sent searches through tracking servers to earn ad money.
Read more: 319 Chrome add-ons secretly redirected searches for 13.4 million usersGoogle's Gemini app can now create, preview and edit PDFs, Docs, Sheets and slides inside the chat, so you can fix a file without leaving it.
Read more: Gemini can now build and edit your documents inside the chatUber says new driver features will help earnings and safety, but the details are not confirmed yet. Drivers and riders should check Uber's own announcement.
Read more: Uber announces new driver features aimed at earnings and safetySwitching to Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 changes who answers your lookups, not who can read them. Encrypted DNS in your router can cover the whole home.
Read more: Changing your DNS provider doesn't hide the sites you visitBank of America emailed customers to keep banking passwords away from AI agents, as other big banks restrict the tools too. Here is why and what to do.
Read more: Bank of America tells customers not to give AI agents their passwordsSamsung is adding a more detailed AI sleep apnea check to its Galaxy Watch and Ring, starting in Korea in November, with the US expected to follow.
Read more: Samsung's watch and ring get a smarter sleep apnea checkGoogle's October 2026 update lets Pixel Buds stop playing when you doze off, but only with a Pixel Watch. Everyone else can use five settings.
Read more: Pixel Buds can now notice when you fall asleep and stop playingScammers are faking the White Rock RCMP's real phone number to pose as officers, so a caller ID that looks official is no longer proof of anything.
Read more: Scammers fake the police station's phone number to steal your infoFake ChatGPT and Claude apps on GitHub hide a crypto miner beside a real installer, and they rank high in Google. Windows users who search and download are at risk.
Read more: Fake ChatGPT and Claude apps on GitHub hide a crypto-mining virusA recorded call offering a 'free' cruise from Orlando Promotion Center matches a pattern the FTC has taken to court, so the safest move is to hang up.
Read more: A 'free cruise' call from Orlando Promotion Center looks like a scam
